Sports

The SLUH Esports team took on Nixa high school on Tuesday night in a Rocket League battle for the ages.

After many battles, the St. Louis U High swim team had an uninterrupted week to hammer away at their raw skills and forge themselves into new weapons as sharp as shark’s teeth. Last week, the swim team had the rare opportunity of having a week with no meets, but that certainly did not make it a rest period.

The SLUH cross country team was able to show off its incredible depth for the second week in a row by sweeping all but one division at the Parkway West Dale Shepard Invitational this past Saturday and taking home an abundance of medals. While the varsity squad had some mishaps, the rest of the team was able to clearly separate themselves from the rest of the field.

Chaminade has tormented SLUH soccer for years. Last year, it was the Red Devils who knocked the Jr. Bills out of the District Tournament with a 1-0 win. That same season, Chaminade took the regular season match against SLUH by the same score. Two years ago, it was a 5-1 loss. In fact, it’s been years since SLUH has topped Chaminade in soccer. This year, even the star-studded roster of the Jr. Bills fell victim to the Chaminade curse in a close 1-0 loss. Now, with a single loss eating away at their record, the Jr. Bills (11-1-1) are trying to stay positive with their sights set on late October.

 The news of SLUH soccer is quickly spreading outside the city. After weeks of dominating both public and private high schools around St. Louis, the Jr. Bills took their talents on the road last weekend, sweeping through the River Region Rumble in Paducah, Ky. Now, as the wins keep adding up, a recent poll from United Soccer Coaches even has SLUH Soccer ranked at No. 10 in the nation. With national recognition now under their belts, the Jr. Bills are preparing to carry their momentum on through the final half of the season.

The SLUH XC team was divided among two different meets last weekend, with the top 14 runners travelling all the way to Palatine, Ill. to compete in one of the most stacked meets in the whole state. The rest of the runners got to show off their skills at Fox’s Ed White Invitational at Arnold City Park.

Engulfed in foreign seas and surrounded by a jungle of black and yellow, the St. Louis U. High swim team fought tooth and fin to emerge with new hardware. Last Saturday, the swimmers traveled to Columbia, Mo. to compete in Mizzou’s massive swimming facility. The Jr. Bills tied the Rockhurst Hawks, last year’s State Champions, for second place, an unexpectedly fantastic outcome.

In a battle against CBC, the heavyweight of the MCC, SLUH found themselves in a surprisingly close game in the first half. Down only 21-24 against the Cadets heading into the locker room, hopes seemed high. They couldn't hold on, though. CBC controlled almost every remaining drive of the game and ran away with the score, winning 59-27. 

Excitement filled the air as the SLUH XC team took on one of the hilliest courses in the whole Midwest last Saturday at the Paul Enke Invitational. They were able to put on quite a show, with some impressive times and the highest team finish in the meet for the team in the last decade.

When sophomore Gabe Hafner stepped up to the line for a throw-in against CBC, he surely had no idea the miracle play he was about to set in motion. With 12 seconds left, he lobbed the ball into the air to sprinting senior Evan Yalavarthi, who flicked it to senior Tyler Van Bree, who settled and then shoved the ball across the middle to sophomore Grant Locker. Locker, surveying his options, sent the ball off a defender and into the reach of senior Johnnie Ferrara. As time expired, Ferrara turned and fired a one-timer towards the goalie, which bounced off his foot and into the back of the net for an improbable win. 

 Last Friday, the JV swim team experienced their first one-on-one battle, dueling Desmet’s best warriors. As the more seasoned Varsity swimmers returned to their barracks, the young Jr. Bill’s team found themselves stepping up against an army of Spartans. 

The Jr. Bills (2-1) brought  their record to over .500 this past week with a 63-12 landslide victory over the Normandy Vikings, the fifth most points scored by the Bills in school history. 

SLUH’s newly-created Esports team participated in its first competition, setting a precedent for the year ahead.

Anticipation soared as the SLUH cross country team prepared to face off against fierce competition from across four states including the best teams in Missouri at the Forest Park Cross Country Festival (FPXC) last Saturday. The team put up impressive performances across the board, including the first Forest Park JV victory and first individual winner in several years.

Claiming victory at their first battle royale, the St. Louis U. High swim team absolutely eviscerated their enemies in Ladue’s water-filled coliseum. The tenth place team got 2 points, the second place team earned 337 points, and the Jr.Bills felt a tad chilly sitting on their throne so high up with 713 points.

In their past six games, SLUH soccer has scored 25 goals. Their opponents have scored just three. In summary: this year’s Varsity team is good, and they're off to a dangerously hot start. Four additional wins over the past week have the team at 6-0-1 on the season and poised to turn heads at the CBC tournament.

Two thousand ninety-six. That’s how many days it had been since SLUH had beaten Chaminade before their 35-26 win in their MCC opener this past Friday night. 

Having donned new armor, the St. Louis U. High swim team went to battle for the first time this season against Francis Howell Central last Friday. The Jr. Bills' unrelenting ferocity in the water allowed them to conquer their opponent in dominant fashion, 150-25.

SLUH cross country kicked off their season last Saturday at the rain-soaked Granite City Invitational, on a day where the roster’s extraordinary wealth of talent was put on full display.

SLUH Soccer is rolling right now. After scoring 10 goals in their past two games, head coach Bob O’Connell’s varsity squad is an entertaining team to watch. Back to back wins have the Jr. Bills sitting at 3-0-1 after four games.